Kural #175
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Tamil text
அஃகி அகன்ற அறிவென்னாம்
யார்மாட்டும் வெஃகி வெறிய செயின்
Aḵki akaṉṟa aṟiveṉṉām
Yārmāṭṭum veḵki veṟiya ceyiṉ
English translation
Of what use is subtle and vast knowledge, if one covets others' possessions and acts madly?
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Explanation
Knowledge without ethics is worthless. Even refined, expansive learning (அஃகி அகன்ற அறிவு) is useless if one covets and acts irrationally. True wisdom prevents covetousness.
விளக்கம்
பிறர் பொருளை வெஃகினால், எவ்வளவு பெரிய அறிவும் பயனில்லை. பேராசை வெறியாட்டம் போட வைக்கும். வெஃகாமை அதிகாரத்தின்படி, நல்லொழுக்கமே அறிவின் அடையாளம். அதுவே வாழ்க்கை நெறி.
Word meanings
- அஃகிaḵkisubtle/refined
- அகன்றakaṉṟavast/extensive
- அறிவுaṟivuknowledge
- என்னாம்eṉṉāmwhat use
- யார்மாட்டும்yārmāṭṭumtowards anyone
- வெஃகிveḵkicoveting
- வெறியveṟiyamadly/irrationally
- செயின்ceyiṉif doing
Story behind this kural
In a village nestled beside a whispering forest, lived a wise scholar named Thiru. His home overflowed with scrolls and his mind with knowledge. Yet, he envied the prosperous merchant, Arul, whose shop always bustled with customers. Thiru knew the merchant's secret: a magical gem said to bring good fortune. Driven by envy, Thiru devised a plan. He used his clever words to convince a gullible villager to steal the gem. When the theft was discovered, the villagers turned on Thiru. His pleas of innocence, his elaborate explanations, were dismissed. The villagers saw through his learned facade to the greed beneath. Arul, though saddened, forgave the thief. He knew the gem's true magic lay not in wealth, but in kindness. Thiru, stripped of his reputation, retreated to his home. He sat amongst his scrolls, but the words seemed to mock him, hollow and meaningless in the face of his own bitter actions.